The Hatchling—2000
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XLIII—The Curious Procession
The cabin and gardens were filled with activity. Almost the entire coven had arrived in the morning to prepare for that night's Beltane Eve ritual. The cabin, set in the clearing of Merrywood Forest, was blessed with the scent of baking. Flying Raven was given the realm of the kitchen. She was making borage cookies for Dark Star (Gino was working hard to keep the hatchling in the gardens and out of the cabin!) and 'just in case' a double batch of chocolate chip oatmeal cookies. Everyone knew they were Andrius' favorite and he was due to turn up unexpectedly one of these warm Sabbats to surprise his offspring, Dark Star. More and more, Flying Raven was glad she'd accepted the invitation to move back from the Mothervalley to teach science at Trillium School. Her own children grown, she welcomed the family atmosphere of the coven and loved the stimulation of a classroom filled with eager, young minds.
Holly and Arnica were tending the seedlings in the greenhouse. Arnica was nursing several pots of mandrake seed, which were particularly challenging and Holly was busy thinning the love-lies bleeding. The younger of the two, Holly had sown the seed far too heavily and now much thinning was needed. The two men often worked nearly as one, their lives so closely entwined, and would finish each other's sentences without anyone even noticing.
The newest member of the coven, Shadow Tail was weeding around the bleeding hearts. He loved the dicentra, including the wild species growing near the giant-leaved maple along the path to the stone circle. "Look at this," he called to Pearl. Despite his darker skin from his Loon Tribe heritage, Shadow was wearing a large, straw garden hat to protect his ears against sunburn.
Pearl was working nearby, tending to the trilliums. The large, native white species had been open for weeks but the more exotic red trilliums which Arnica had brought in from a nursery, were only now preparing to open their buds. Pearl stepped lightly, her small Pictish frame not much larger than a girl's. "What do you have?"
Shadow pointed to a few small leaves. The seedling looked to be a tiny bleeding heart. "Do you think they've had an offspring?" Shadow asked?
"Does Arnica know?" Pearl asked, her mind distracted as her mind created patterns of embroidery she'd like to stitch onto Shadow's hat. He preferred it plain, even though Pearl's were the best hands with a needle to be found in the land.
A short walk away, young Gino was carefully weeding the borage bed. The borage seeds had not yet sprouted and Dark Star, the resident unicorn hatchling, was watching Gino very closely. She had a tendency to forget that they're a late-sprouting plant and every spring was a little concerned that her favorite herb might not begin growing. Gino and Dark Star had become great friends since they met. How their lives had changed since that important day! They looked forward to the Lammas Sabbat which would mark their fifth year. How young Gino was then, just a boy of ten but now a vital member of the coven.
Off in the woods, Jewel and Lotus were cleaning up winter debris in the stone circle, preparing it for Beltane Eve which would be the first Sabbat ritual in the stone circle. Their youngster, Dagon, was growing quickly. Born at the Scorpio Full Moon just after Beltane five years ago, in another year he would begin first grade at Trillium School. Now and then, watching Iris' belly grow full with child, Jewel found herself wanting to be pregnant again but she and Lotus wanted to do their part to protect Dagon's future. The planet's population was growing at such an alarming rate that they vowed to be wise in this matter and not allow their personal desires to take precedence over the survival of all species. Jewel had been helping Iris at the postal shop and would take over after the baby's birth until Iris could resume her job.
It was a beautiful afternoon. The air was heavy with the Beltane song of birds, the buzzing of bees gathering nectar and pollinating flowers. Everyone was busy, this one of the rare days when the entire coven worked together in preparation for the Sabbat.
Everyone, that is, except Iris and Deodar. Dolly, as the Trillium School principal was known among his friends, insisted that they stay at home until time to leave for the ritual. Iris was restless. This past week she'd done little more than make small talk with the folk coming in to pick up their mail and buy stamps. Jewel was a great help and managed just fine. There was little for Iris to do other than sit around and feel pregnant.
And she felt very pregnant. Her was time near and the Earthkin know that Moons and Sabbats can bring forth the baby! Dolly was painting some trim on the back porch, enjoying working out in the sun on this fine spring day. Iris couldn't take being restful any longer and decided to go clean the postal shop attached to their house. She got up and started toward the storage room to get cleaning cloths.
"Dolly!" Iris' voice cried out with the piercing timbre of surprised alarm. "Quick, call Arnica. Call the midwife. Call Ollis." The contractions had increased and this was no time to be cleaning. The baby was coming for Beltane.
What a curious procession walked along the road to Merrydale! All the friends wanted to go with Arnica and Holly and Dark Star knew that she wasn't about to be left behind. They barely took time to wash the fertile-scented garden soil off their hands, grab a few things and head down the road through Merrywood. In fact, Gino was rubbing the special ointment into the hatchling's horn as they made their way. Arnica was certain that Dark Star's horn would become invisible before they were in Merrywood. Dark Star would sit back upon her hind legs and Gino would rub the magickal balm onto her horn. Gino's freckled face was beaming with pride. He was so pleased that Arnica trusted him with the ointment. Gino knew it had jade and even gold powder in it but only Arnica, Holly and Dark Star knew the actual formula. But Dark Star was impatient and Gino wouldn't get very far and the hatchling would scramble to her legs and trot up to join the rest, Gino running after her. The birds of Merrywood filled the trees with song and the group of friends created an aura of laughter and joy as they walked.
Arnica and Holly were talking about the birthing process. Dolly's message didn't say anything about the midwife and, although the men preferred the birth be handled by a midwife, they had the knowledge if need be. They took turns carrying a satchel containing jars of herbs, bottles of tincture and a small Book of Shadows which contained the coven's baby blessing ritual. "It's a good thing I'd just taken the cookies out of the oven! The rest of the dough can sit in the refrigerator until we return" Raven's own children long since grown, she had not only given birth three times but had been present for four of her six grandchildren's arrivals as well. Jewel and Lotus walked with Flying Raven just a bit behind the couple. Jewel was glad that Dagon was in town, today, playing with a neighbor child. The adults were wasting no time and the extra trips walking back and forth between Merrydale and the cabin would leave the child too tired to enjoy staying up for the Sabbat.
Pearl had never given birth. Jewel's russet-colored hair shook in surprise upon learning that Pearl had never even witnessed a baby's birth!
"I'm much more the godmother type," Pearl laughed in response. Although old enough to be a grandmother, she still embodied the maiden aspect of the Goddess in so many ways.
By now Dark Star and Gino had finished their game with the ointment. The horn was nearly invisible and they trotted and skipped along with Arnica and Holly. At times like this Gino was much more like the boy they met, but Arnica knew their friend would be wearing his 'young man' personality as soon as they were in Merrydale.
"What if the baby's born before we get there?" asked Gino with his boyish curiosity.
"Patience, it won't happen until we're there," Arnica answered, with good humor.
"Um," Gino couldn't help himself, "how do you know?"
"It was in my dream last Full Moon," Arnica said, matter of fact. And that was enough answer for the young man.
Shadow Tail and Lotus walked at the rear, talking about Trillium School. Lotus was preparing a wood working and shop class and had many questions for Shadow, who was helping Carlos with the maintenance and assisting with office work. Both men were somewhat quiet by nature and they enjoyed this opportunity to talk.
Iris lay in her bed, with Dolly kneeling on the floor so he could whisper encouragement, generally words of love, talk of their dreams for the future, all interspersed with the regular "push," echoing the midwife.
Arnica was assisting the midwife, occasionally opening a small vial of herbal oils. "Breathe deep," he'd say to Iris. And she did. Raven and Jewel had both told her that the labor pains were intense and, of course, nearly every mother in Merrydale offered advice when they came into the postal shop, but the reality was stronger than her expectation.
Just through the door in the living room the coven was conducting—not their Beltane Eve ritual as they had planned, but the ritual which accompanied the birth and blessing of a baby. Holly was working at Dolly and Iris' home altar and the coven was standing in a circle around it.
Ollis Piper was not completely comfortable with the Earthkin traditions, but he would not miss the birth of his first grandchild. After all, he'd missed most of Iris' life, showing up just for his daughter's Handfasting. But he found the words soothing and beautiful. When he abandoned Iris' mother, he left behind his childhood religion as well, rebelling against guilt and a dour future. The Kristos church his parents belonged to damned all of his desires. Ollis was beginning to sense why Iris had taken up the Renaissance beliefs. Meanwhile, he was busy with his camera. Iris would be so happy to have photos of this event!
"I light a candleflame blessed by the Moon. She'll keep you safe at night, within Her boon. Soft lullabies for dreams Her love will croon…" Holly lit the second of the altar candles. The coven filled the room with a gentle chant, its music drifting into Iris' bedroom like the sweet scent of incense.
"Let water wash away your baby tears…" Holly was aspurging the Circle. "These droplets pure will banish all your fears."
As Ollis kept his camera busy, Holly took Pearl's hand and led her to stand behind the altar. As Pearl drew down the Goddess this Beltane Eve, the words seemed so very powerful. "Open your heart to My words, for I am the very Soul of Nature…It was I Who blessed your mother when she birthed you…"
And the cry of the baby taking it's first deep breaths filled the dusk. Sounding like a bird, a music more of song than that of an unhappy wail. And then, Dolly's voice, "It's a girl!"
"I am the beginning and I am the ending…" Pearl continued as Holly supported her arms. Her voice reached out to embrace the baby, and Iris and Dolly and also Arnica. "I am with you in your dreams…And I love you at all times."
XLIV—It's A Girl
Arnica and Holly were working along the path which led from their gardens to the stone circle. Dark Star lay near a huckleberry, having carried a small basket of half pint jars. It was a warm, sunny day and the young unicorn enjoyed being in the shade of the trees. Holly was placing a votive candle into each jar and setting one every several feet on either side of the path to light the way for their Midsummer Eve ritual. May and June had brought more than average rainfall so the woodland would be safe for this evening's candles. The moisture had been welcome and the green things thrived. Arnica, his pruning shears in hand and candles crooning to the spirits of the shrubs so that they would not feel pain, was cutting back a branch here and there to keep the path more open and to ensure that no branches might hang too close to the .
"Remember?" Both voices spoke at once. The men laughed. They had been together many years and even looked much alike. Although never confused in Merrydale, people in Mill City thought they looked so much alike they were usually considered brothers, sometimes even twins! Arnica and Holly would laugh, but they enjoyed knowing they had such a strong, magickal bond.
"Amber's store was gone when we went to get the bell." Holly was setting the candle jars along the edge of the path which was lined with large rocks and moss-covered logs. Five years ago they hung a bell to commemorate the birth of Dagon.
"So much has passed," Arnica mused as he clipped a berry branch which stretched across the path and could easily draw blood if it scratched someone walking the path. "Five years ago the Users were growing in power. The Crystal Emporium had closed. But then Carlos' coworker died mysteriously in Mill City and then Bishop Miter died in such an odd way…"
"And now we have Trillium School…" Holly walked over to the hatchling to get more candle jars from her basket. Their minds moved in the same direction, thinking of how times change. These days people were less caught up with fears promoted by the Users, the right-wing faction of the Politico Party. The people of Merrydale were far more interested in the new school's principal and his wife's new baby! Iris had been the town's postmarm for many years and their lives were more relevant to local people than the corporations of the big cities.
Most of the coven was out at the grove, helping prepare for the evening ritual. In Holly and Arnica's cottage, Amber worked in the kitchen with Flying Raven, teaching Raven how to make bread in the traditional Descendant Tribes way. They were mixing the dough which would soon be baked in a temporary, stone oven. Raven marveled at how easy it was for Amber to find stones and set them in place. How she wished her grandchildren might someday see this. As they mixed the dough a candle sat nearby burning brightly. Raven's contribution to the Midsummer bread was providing the fire to be used in the outdoor oven. She had, just that morning, drawn down the sun using a magnifying glass! The two women enjoyed working together and getting to know each other better this past year through the school and Coven.
As they worked, they talked about the new tree, a weeping goldenchain tree, [aLaburnum alpinum 'Pendulum' as Arnica called it] which had recently been planted in a small park just across from the postmarm's office. Carlos and Rosetta, Trillium School's custodian and cook, had managed to take up a collection from school parents without Iris and Dolly knowing a thing about it! When Mr. Pounds, the tithing agent learned about the collection, he approached Merrydale's mayor. Although usually been sympathetic to the Users, the right wing of the Politicos (the mayor was instrumental in the decision five years ago to allow a section of Merrywood to be cut down for lumber), the mayor surprised Mr. Pounds and not only made a personal donation but offered to let the tree be planted in the small park. It had been a wonderful event. The tree would do well in Merrydale's climate but was very uncommon and had to be shipped in from hundreds of miles to the south.
Like sisters, they would suddenly shift topics, talking personally. Amber found she still needed to talk about the demise of her three year relationship with a steelsmith named Quicksilver and Raven reminisced about her late husband and the brief romantic encounter with Iris' father, Ollis, last year. When they talked about past lovers, their voices were soft and healing for each other like butterflies but when they spoke about the new tree, the kitchen was filled with the music of their words.
It was just a couple of weeks ago when the small crowd gathered outside of Iris and Dolly's home—the postal shop was in the front of the house. The couple came out to see what was going on and discovered the school faculty and staff, the Mayor, even Arnica and Holly all gathered to plant the tree in honor of the baby Diana's birth. It was an old custom, planting a tree when a baby was born. It went back in time way before the Kristos religion and had survived the cycles of many different religions.
Gino, now 15, was helping Shadow Tail put the finishing touches on a new shrine built at the base of a huge, old cedar. Shadow was smudging the area with a thick braid of artemisia from the Lower River Plain. Shadow's branch of the Loon Tribe lived further south than Amber's. The shrine was very handsome, handmade by Lotus. Lotus was the true craftsman of the coven, easily able to transform a stick into a stunning staff. Lotus had also built the beautiful fountain for Trillium School's courtyard. That evening a small bell would be hung in the shrine as it was dedicated to the goddess Diana.
Lotus and Jewel had asked to provide the bell, for it was just five years ago that a small, silver bell was hung for Dagon when their baby just weeks old, as he was brought to the circle for the first time.
"How did everyone know I would name the baby Diana?" Iris asked, turning to Pearl. She couldn't figure that out.
Pearl smiled. She had walked over to Iris' home to fit a Wiccaning gown she had embroidered and to give Iris a hand. Iris was glad for the help. Pearl had many years' experience with the coven and understood how they would know such things.
It was a beautiful day in Merrydale just as it was at the Grove. It had been a remarkable five years between the two babies, their lives changed in so many ways. Even life at the Grove, with the wondrous gardens, have been profoundly changed, not so much by the political events, the marriages and births and the founding of Trillium School, but by the arrival of the hatchling, just five years ago this past spring.
Dark Star was so excited. She would trot from the front of the cabin back to the gardens, then quickly run along the path beneath the trees to the stone circle…Then she'd trot back again, stopping for a quick munch of fresh borage from her favorite bed in the gardens.
Iris and Dolly had just arrived in a horse-drawn lorry! Pearl had paid for the rental, assuring them that it was because the statue of Diana weighed far too much for anyone to carry (which was true). Pearl, the coven artist, had ordered this from a sculptor friend of hers in Cloverville and had it shipped in. Pearl had seen the Diana in his studio before she moved back to Merrydale and called to see if it was available. It was such a perfect gift for the shrine. Pearl sensed that it had been created just for this purpose, even if her artist friend did not realize it at the time.
But more, despite Iris being a very athletic woman, Pearl did not want her to even consider walking to the cabin from Merrydale, even though the baby was still so tiny! Deodar was carrying their tent and sleeping things back to the stone circle. When Dagon was born to Jewel, the entire coven spent the night in the stone circle to commune with the Devas but not this year. Their coven had grown in the past five years. Iris was now an active member and her husband Dolly was then Pastor Dolorum. Dolly had left the Church of the Martyr. Free to pursue his deepest beliefs, Merrydale had never quite recovered from seeing the young clergyman transform himself, marrying the local postmarm and becoming the Earthkin principal of Trillium School! And Gino, the first in Merrydale to recognize Dark Star's unicorn nature. And Raven, now living nearby after spending her married life living far away in the Mothervalley! No, there were too many of them now for sleeping in the stone circle. Shadow Tail worked with the coven as well, although he had been talking about returning to the Lower River Plain later this summer.
After the blessing of the Diana shrine and the Sabbat Eve, after they shared their evening stories and feast, Arnica and Holly would turn to their bed. Arnica's 'old bones' as he called them didn't enjoy sleeping on a pad beneath the trees as much any more. Pearl, whose Pictish ancestry gave her a delicate appearance, felt that she and the older women, Amber and Raven Hawk, would do better in their own homes back in Merrydale and would be riding back in the lorry.
Dark Star was torn. She'd never had much time to play with a horse. He was so very interesting but, although quick witted, didn't seem to know how to communicate with her like her humans did. It was like a festival. The hatchling was having so much fun. She would sleep in the gardens with Gino, who was setting up his small tent (just big enough for the lad and a young unicorn!) near the borage bed. Dagon was old enough to help carry things but young enough to be fascinated by the baby. The gardens were filled with the colors of Midsummer robes, blankets spread out for babies and for a picnic-style potluck feast. Dark Star discovered that the horse preferred hay to borage. This was reassuring, although she didn't really mind sharing! And, of course, the center of attention was baby Diana. Iris and Dolly were very proud parents!
Late that night quiet filled the cabin and gardens. Dolly was putting out the candles one by one, the small flames disappearing in the night as Iris carried the baby Diana back to their tent in the stone circle. The candle-lit path among the trees seemed to be taking itself back to the sacred stones.
Little peepers, tiny green tree frogs, filled the night with their songs. . The faeries and devas, welcomed by the coven's Midsummer's Eve rites, danced and played in the woodland and among the gardens. In the distance the sound of laughter and voices began to fade. Jewel and Lotus walked along with the others who were heading back to Merrydale that night, Dagon snuggled up in a blanket in the lorry, sound asleep. Shadow and Amber were sharing memories and comparing similarities and differences in how their own families observed the Loon Tribal ways at Midsummer.
Arnica and Holly stretched out in their bed, enjoying the coolness of the sheets as a night-scented breeze drifted through the open windows of their cabin.
Dark Star snuggled up against Gino. The lad was so fond of the hatchling. He rolled over, half sleeping, and pulled her close to him. Life for all, this Midsummer, was very good.
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